While central governments' fiscal problems plague many economies, a parallel crisis is enveloping many subnational governments around the world.

From Spain to China to the United States to Italy, these governments — regions, states, provinces, cities, and towns — face immense fiscal challenges. Higher levels of government are "on the hook" to bail out local insolvent governments, and may even suffer bond downgrades as a result; in Spain, Italy, and China, that role falls to the national government, and for U.S. cities and towns, to their states.

There are many similarities within and among countries in terms of the nature and causes of these local fiscal calamities. Local officials used growing revenues during the boom to fund pet projects or boost pay and benefits, with little regard to future costs.